April 29, 2026
Celebrating 50 Years of Keeping Nature Nearby | Spring Newsletter 2026
Read our Spring Newsletter!
Newsletter Archive
April 29, 2026
Recent Michigan prescribed fire successes set stage for needed progress
In the tapestry that makes up Michigan’s impressive landscape, there are many fire-dependent habitats. But our oak and pine forests, savannas, and prairies have dwindled due to centuries of wildland fire suppression.
April 29, 2026
Partners, community, and commitment combine for conservation success
For 50 years, the Land Conservancy of West Michigan has sought to permanently protect natural areas through acquisition and stewardship.
April 29, 2026
Saugatuck Township Riverside Park: A collaboration for nature
This year, the Land Conservancy of West Michigan continues a long legacy of community conservation in Saugatuck.
April 29, 2026
Terry and Kris Stranz protect 40 more acres in the Pere Marquette watershed
In late 2025, the Stranz family closed on a conservation easement made possible by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s (EGLE) 319 Grant Program. The 319 Grant Program is a part of the federal Clean Water Act and is intended to help
April 29, 2026
Letter from the Executive Director | Spring 2026
Dear Friends and Fellow Nature Enthusiasts, Roots tell a story. Some grow quickly and shallow, spreading across the surface to meet what’s immediately available. Others reach slowly downward, deep and patient, anchoring themselves against change, wind, and time. In nature, roots adapt to the conditions around
October 14, 2025
Saul Lake Prairie: Planting A Community | Fall Newsletter 2025
Read our Fall Newsletter!
October 14, 2025
Letter from the Executive Director: Fall 2025
Dear Friends and Fellow Conservationists, Fall is here again, and with it comes one of my favorite traditions: returning to the prairie to collect seeds and prepare them for planting. This year, the ritual carries special meaning. We will be celebrating 25 years of prairie
October 14, 2025
Step 1: Prepare the Soil
After the Land Conservancy of West Michigan (LCWM), then the Natural Areas Conservancy of West Michigan (NACOWMI), completed its first project supporting the protection of Saugatuck Dunes Natural Area in 1988, the group faced the question: ”What’s next?” In the coming years, the organization would reach
October 14, 2025
Step 2: Collect Seeds
In 1999, Dwight Baker, a volunteer with a burgeoning and well-researched interest in native tallgrass prairies, looked at the preserve’s expansive old field planted with one species of non-native grass and had an idea. “He looked at the site and said, you know, this can